"Robin Hobb - Tawny Man 2 - Golden Fool" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hobb Robin)

my own life, I had suffered from the taint of being Witted. I had no desire to see
anyone else labour under that burden. If they had not presented such a threat to
my prince, I might have sided with them.
My furious striding carried me up to the sentries at the gate to Buckkeep.
There was a guardhouse there, and from within came the sound of menтАЩs voices
and the clatter of soldiers at food. One, a lad of about twenty, lounged by the
door, bread and cheese in one hand and a mug of morning beer in the other. He
glanced up at me, and then, mouth full, nodded me through the gates. I halted,
anger coursing through me like a poison.
тАШDo you know who I am?тАЩ I demanded of him.
He startled, then peered at me more closely. Obviously he was afraid he had
offended some minor noble, but a glance at my clothing reassured him.
тАШYouтАЩre a servant in the Keep. ArenтАЩt you?тАЩ
тАШWhose servantтАЩ I demanded. Foolishness, to call attention to myself this way,
and yet I could not stop the words. Had others come this way before me last
night, were they inside the keep even nowтАЩ Had a careless sentry admitted folk
bent on killing the Prince? It all seemed too possible.
тАШWellтАж I donтАЩt know!тАЩ the boy sputtered. He drew himself up straight, but still
had to look up to glare at me. тАШHow am I supposed to know that? Why should I
care?тАЩ
тАШBecause, you damned fool, you are guarding the main entrance to Buckkeep
Castle. Your queen and your prince depend on you to be alert, and to keep their
enemies from walking in. That is why you ate here. IsnтАЩt it?тАЩ
тАШWell. IтАФтАЩ The boy shook his head in angry frustration, then turned suddenly to
the door of the guardhouse. тАШKespin! Can you come out here?тАЩ
Kespin was a taller man, and older. He moved like a swordsman, ;md his eyes
were keen above his grizzled beard. They appraised me as a threat and
dismissed me. тАШWhatтАЩs the problem here?тАЩ he asked us both. His voice was not a
warning, but an assurance that he could deal with either of us as we deserved.
The sentry waved his beer mug at me. тАШHeтАЩs angry because I donтАЩt know
whose servant he is.тАЩ
тАШWhat?тАЩ
тАШIтАЩm Lord GoldenтАЩs servant,тАЩ I clarified. тАШAnd IтАЩm concerned chat the sentries on
this gace seem to do no more than watch folk go in and out of the keep - IтАЩve
been walking in and out of Buckkeep Castle for over a fortnight now, and IтАЩve
never been challenged once. It doesnтАЩt seem right co me. A score of years ago,
when I visited, the sentries on duty here cook cheir task seriously. There was a
time whenтАжтАЩ
тАШThere was a time when that was needed,тАЩ Kespin interrupted me. тАШDuring the
Red Ship War. But weтАЩre at peace, man. And che keep and the town are full of
Oucislander folk and nobilicy from the other duchies for the PrinceтАЩs betrothal-
You canтАЩt expect us to know them all.тАЩ
I swallowed, wishing I hadnтАЩt started this, yet determined to follow it to the end.
тАШIt only takes one mistake for our princeтАЩs life to be threatened.тАЩ
тАШOr one mistake to insult some Outislander noble. My orders come down from
Queen Kettricken, and she said we were to be welcoming and hospicable. Not
suspicious and nasty. Though IтАЩd be willing to make an exception for you.тАЩ The
grin he gave me somewhat modified his words, yet it was still clear he did not
enjoy my questioning of his judgment.
I inclined my head to him. I was going abouc this all wrong, I should bother